Headquartered in Chantilly, Virginia, Amentum is a leading global engineering and technology services business serving the U.S. Government and its allied partners. The Company provides full lifecycle, advanced engineering and technology solutions across five key markets: environment, space, intelligence, defense and civilian. Amentum has extensive scale and global reach, supported by a highly skilled and diverse workforce of more than 53,000 people in approximately 80 countries.

About the Opportunity

We are now seeking for a Sales Director and Deputy MD to join the Japan team in the new Amentum, and the focus will be Energy, Defence and Technology, delivering a blend of technical, engineering and consultancy work.  Some will be delivered by Amentum; some will be delivered as joint venture partnerships with Japanese organisations. As a business we are expecting to grow organically in Japan from an existing team of 15 people to around 200-300, with business development, contract capture and contract delivery being performed in Japan as well as potential acquisitions.

As a business leader, you will be responsible to oversee customer relationship management activities with existing and future customers, manage the local team and ensuring operational excellence as well as driving business growth and expanding the company's presence in Japan.

This role requires excellent leadership skills, a hands-on approach and outstanding communication skills both in English and Japanese.
 
Key Job Responsibilities

Business Development and Market Expansion:

• You will drive Amentum’s business growth and expand their presence in Japan. This involves identifying market opportunities, conducting market research and analysis, and developing effective strategies to penetrate the Japanese market.

• You will be responsible for building relationships with key accounts, partners, and stakeholders, negotiating contracts, and fostering business partnerships to drive revenue

• Conversion of the existing and new relationships in to contracts is essential.

Team Management: 

• Build and Develop the Team: Recruit and onboard suitable candidates, set performance expectations and goals, and provide feedback and support for individual and team development.

• Foster Communication and Collaboration: Facilitate effective communication and collaboration within the local team and with HQ.

• Participate in training and development of more Junior colleagues to create a high-performing team capable of delivering the high-quality standards of Amentum.

• Directly manage the sales team and drive results from the team to support the business goals.

Customer Relationship Management: 

• Oversee and own customer relationship management activities. This involves understanding customer needs, identifying potential customers, and nurturing relationships with existing clients. 

• Work closely with the other members of the teams to ensure customer satisfaction and also gather customer feedback.

Here's What You'll Need 

• Existing experience in the energy (ideally nuclear), defence & security, robotics/automation related industry in Japan and a deep understanding of local market dynamics, industry trends, regulatory environment and competitive landscape. 

• Excellent communication skills, both in Japanese and in English, and you have the ability to convey ideas and complex messages effectively. You have a strong customer-focused mindset.

• Negotiation skills and you'll have a deep understanding of Japanese culture, and business practices. 

• Capacity to navigate cultural nuances and build strong relationships with stakeholders as a leader.

• As the business grows there will be need to identify and pursue targets for M&A to enhance the business in Japan. This role will support, or lead these activities.

• Travel will be required both internationally and domestically to engage with the wider Amentum, and our customers. But the main base location will be Tokyo.